Sean Morton Downey Jr American singer, songwriter, actor and radio and television host Date of Birth: 09.12.1932 Country: USA

Biography of Morton Downey Jr.

Morton Downey Jr. was an American singer, songwriter, actor, and radio and television host, who became one of the pioneers of the 'trash TV' format in the 1980s. Born on December 9, 1932, in Los Angeles, California, Morton Downey Jr. came from a well-known creative dynasty. His father, Morton Downey, was a popular singer, and his mother, Barbara Bennett, was a silent film actress, singer, and dancer. His aunts Constance and Joan Bennett had successful careers in Hollywood and theater, while his maternal grandfather, Richard Bennett, was a highly popular theatrical actor and silent film star.

Growing up in luxury, Morton Downey Jr. was neighbors with the Kennedy family in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. It is worth noting that the popular actor Robert Downey Jr. has no relation to Morton. Morton studied at New York University before embarking on a career in radio. In the late 1950s, he worked as a program director and announcer on a radio station in Connecticut, and then went on to work on radio stations across the country, including Phoenix, Miami, and Seattle.

Following in his father's footsteps, Morton released several popular records and eventually started writing his own songs, which were performed by various renowned artists in the 1950s and 1960s. He even became a member of The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). In the 1980s, Downey hosted a talk show on a Sacramento radio station, where he gained attention for his aggressive and confrontational style - a rarity at the time. He mercilessly mocked anyone who disagreed with his opinions. However, in 1983, he was fired after telling an offensive racist joke about a city council member of Asian descent and refusing to apologize.

Downey found new radio work in Chicago and soon after received an offer from New York television to host his own show called "The Morton Downey Jr. Show." The show premiered in the fall of 1987, but due to a significant drop in ratings, it was canceled in 1989. Advertisers were hesitant to associate with the provocative host. Downey's show followed the format of 'trash TV,' featuring rumors, gossip, scandals, heated studio debates, and even on-air physical fights. Although the show had a short lifespan, it made Morton a national celebrity, and from 1989 to 1999, he managed to appear in 15 movies and TV series.

After leaving television, he returned to radio in Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Cleveland, where he continued to insult his guests and ridicule celebrities. Morton was married four times and had four daughters from three of these marriages. All of his marriages ended in divorce, except for his last one with actress Lori Krebs. Lori married Morton on March 20, 1993, after meeting him on a show in Atlantic City, where she was a dancer, and remained with him until his death.

In 1996, Morton Downey Jr. was diagnosed with lung cancer and had one lung removed. Despite constantly smoking during his talk shows, he underwent a complete transformation and became a fierce anti-smoking activist. He realized the impact of his actions in promoting cigarettes and blamed tobacco companies for lying to consumers about the harm caused by tobacco use. Morton Downey Jr. passed away on March 12, 2001, at the age of 68, in Los Angeles, California. Before his death, he deeply regretted his thoughtless promotion of smoking and held tobacco companies accountable for their deception.